Priyank Panchal questioned India's continued omission of Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, and Axar Patel from the ODI setup. The series opener is currently underway at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara on January 11.
The selection decisions have already sparked debate, especially after India's 2-1 ODI series victory over South Africa in 2025. For the first ODI against New Zealand, India brought back Mohammed Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, and Shubman Gill, while also opting to include Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar in the XI.
As a result of these choices, there was no place for Arshdeep in the playing eleven. Panchal openly questioned the logic behind preferring Sundar and Rana over more established players, expressing concern over the repeated exclusion of proven performers from the ODI setup.
